Parallel Verses

NET Bible

You are too just to tolerate evil; you are unable to condone wrongdoing. So why do you put up with such treacherous people? Why do you say nothing when the wicked devour those more righteous than they are?

New American Standard Bible

Your eyes are too pure to approve evil,
And You can not look on wickedness with favor.
Why do You look with favor
On those who deal treacherously?
Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up
Those more righteous than they?

King James Version

Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

Holman Bible

Your eyes are too pure to look on evil,
and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
So why do You tolerate those who are treacherous?
Why are You silent
while one who is wicked swallows up
one who is more righteous than himself?

International Standard Version

Your eyes are too pure to gaze upon evil; and you cannot tolerate wickedness. So why do you tolerate the treacherous? And why do you stay silent while the wicked devour those who are more righteous than they are?

A Conservative Version

Thou who are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and who cannot look on perverseness, why do thou look upon those who deal treacherously, and hold thy peace when the wicked man swallows up the man who is more righteous than he,

American Standard Version

Thou that art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and that canst not look on perverseness, wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy peace when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he;

Amplified


Your eyes are too pure to approve evil,
And You cannot look favorably on wickedness.
Why then do You look favorably
On those who act treacherously?
Why are you silent when the wicked (Chaldean oppressors) destroy
Those more righteous than they?

Bible in Basic English

Before your holy eyes sin may not be seen, and you are unable to put up with wrong; why, then, are your eyes on the false? why do you say nothing when the evil-doer puts an end to one who is more upright than himself?

Darby Translation

Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on mischief: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and keepest silence when the wicked swalloweth up a man more righteous than he?

Julia Smith Translation

Being pure of eyes from beholding evil, and wilt not be able to look upon labor: wherefore wilt thou look upon the transgressors? wilt thou be silent in the unjust swallowing the just above him?

King James 2000

You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and can not look on iniquity: why do you look upon them that deal treacherously, and hold your tongue when the wicked devours the man that is more righteous than he?

Lexham Expanded Bible

Your eyes [are] too pure to see evil, and you are not able to look at wrongdoing. Why do you look at the treacherous? [Why] are you silent when the wicked swallows up [someone] more righteous than him?

Modern King James verseion

You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and can not look upon vexation. Why do You look upon those who deal deceitfully? Will you be silent when the wicked swallows one more righteous than he?

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Thine eyes are clean, thou mayest not see evil, thou cannot behold the thing that is wicked. Wherefore then doest thou look upon the ungodly, and holdest thy tongue, when the wicked devoureth the man that is better than himself?

New Heart English Bible

You who have purer eyes than to see evil, and who cannot look on perversity, why do you tolerate those who deal treacherously, and keep silent when the wicked swallows up the man who is more righteous than he,

The Emphasized Bible

Thou whose eyes are too pure to look with approval on wrong, to respect oppression, canst not endure, - Wherefore, shouldst thou respect the treacherous? Be silent, when the lawless, swalloweth up, one more righteous than he?

Webster

Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: why lookest thou on them that deal treacherously, and keepest silence when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

World English Bible

You who have purer eyes than to see evil, and who cannot look on perversity, why do you tolerate those who deal treacherously, and keep silent when the wicked swallows up the man who is more righteous than he,

Youngs Literal Translation

Purer of eyes than to behold evil, To look on perverseness Thou art not able, Why dost Thou behold the treacherous? Thou keepest silent when the wicked Doth swallow the more righteous than he,

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
Thou art of purer
טהר טהור 
Tahowr 
Usage: 95

ראה 
Ra'ah 
Usage: 1308

and canst
יכול יכל 
Yakol 
Usage: 194

not look
נבט 
Nabat 
Usage: 69

חרשׁ 
Charash 
Usage: 74

when the wicked
רשׁע 
Rasha` 
Usage: 263

בּלע 
Bala` 
Usage: 49

צדּיק 
Tsaddiyq 
Usage: 206

Context Readings

Habakkuk's Second Complaint

12 Lord, you have been active from ancient times; my sovereign God, you are immortal. Lord, you have made them your instrument of judgment. Protector, you have appointed them as your instrument of punishment. 13 You are too just to tolerate evil; you are unable to condone wrongdoing. So why do you put up with such treacherous people? Why do you say nothing when the wicked devour those more righteous than they are? 14 You made people like fish in the sea, like animals in the sea that have no ruler.


Cross References

Psalm 34:15-16

The Lord pays attention to the godly and hears their cry for help.

Psalm 35:22

But you take notice, Lord! O Lord, do not remain far away from me!

Psalm 50:21

When you did these things, I was silent, so you thought I was exactly like you. But now I will condemn you and state my case against you!

Jeremiah 12:1-2

Lord, you have always been fair whenever I have complained to you. However, I would like to speak with you about the disposition of justice. Why are wicked people successful? Why do all dishonest people have such easy lives?

Acts 3:13-15

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our forefathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate after he had decided to release him.

2 Samuel 4:11

Surely when wicked men have killed an innocent man as he slept in his own house, should I not now require his blood from your hands and remove you from the earth?"

1 Kings 2:32

May the Lord punish him for the blood he shed; behind my father David's back he struck down and murdered with the sword two men who were more innocent and morally upright than he -- Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel's army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah's army.

Esther 4:14

"Don't imagine that because you are part of the king's household you will be the one Jew who will escape. If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews will appear from another source, while you and your father's household perish. It may very well be that you have achieved royal status for such a time as this!"

Job 15:15

If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,

Psalm 5:4-5

Certainly you are not a God who approves of evil; evil people cannot dwell with you.

Psalm 10:1-2

Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you pay no attention during times of trouble?

Psalm 10:15

Break the arm of the wicked and evil man! Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds, which he thought you would not discover.

Psalm 11:4-7

The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven. His eyes watch; his eyes examine all people.

Psalm 37:12-15

Evil men plot against the godly and viciously attack them.

Psalm 37:32-33

Evil men set an ambush for the godly and try to kill them.

Psalm 50:3

Our God approaches and is not silent; consuming fire goes ahead of him and all around him a storm rages.

Psalm 56:1-2

For the music director; according to the yonath-elem-rechovim style; a prayer of David, written when the Philistines captured him in Gath. Have mercy on me, O God, for men are attacking me! All day long hostile enemies are tormenting me.

Psalm 73:3

For I envied those who are proud, as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.

Psalm 83:1

A song, a psalm of Asaph. O God, do not be silent! Do not ignore us! Do not be inactive, O God!

Proverbs 31:8-9

Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak, for the legal rights of all the dying.

Isaiah 21:2

I have received a distressing message: "The deceiver deceives, the destroyer destroys. Attack, you Elamites! Lay siege, you Medes! I will put an end to all the groaning!"

Isaiah 33:1

The destroyer is as good as dead, you who have not been destroyed! The deceitful one is as good as dead, the one whom others have not deceived! When you are through destroying, you will be destroyed; when you finish deceiving, others will deceive you!

Isaiah 64:12

In light of all this, how can you still hold back, Lord? How can you be silent and continue to humiliate us?

Habakkuk 1:3-4

Why do you force me to witness injustice? Why do you put up with wrongdoing? Destruction and violence confront me; conflict is present and one must endure strife.

Acts 2:23

this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles.

1 Peter 1:15-16

but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct,

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain